8: Proving Ground

The rest of the weekend advanced at a sloth's pace. Kaiba spent Saturday morning prowling his apartment like a caged animal, aggressively rearranging his furniture over and over until he wore grooves into the hardwood floor. By noon, he threw in the towel and went into PPSE office to take advantage of their battle system. He couldn't risk damaging the Legilis at model damage level A this close to the championship, but resorting to fighting with his old 00 Qan[T] turned out to be even more fulfilling. It was his machine first— from before this Meijin Kawaguchi affair, from before he met Jounouchi...

He fought battle after battle, until his wrists ached and his finger cramped. Soon, even the machine ran out of computerized opponents to throw his way. Though running through the shooting range program may be good practice, it didn't offer the same satisfaction as smashing in a few dozen Zakus. He powered off the battle system in disgust and stalked into the team's office.

Unsurprisingly, it was devoid of life. The Works Team was probably collectively sleeping off the biggest hangover they've had in some time. The office space had been cleaned, and he couldn't find a single wayward beer can. It was like the previous night hadn't happened.

That thought managed to be both depressing and freeing.

In the clear light of day, Kaiba was certain he'd made the right choice. Whatever mutual (or not so mutual) attraction that may exist between him and Jounouchi, now was a horrible time to embark on a potentially explosive relationship. They were co-workers, which meant if things between them went south, it would go far south. Jounouchi knew the Legilis like the back of his hand— he had to when he half-designed its current incarnation. Kaiba hesitated trusting the machine to another builder, with maybe Allan Adams being the sole exception. But Adams wasn't on the Works Team, Jounouchi was.

Above all, Kaiba needed to win this tournament. Too much of his pride rode on that. He needed to prove to his father and older brother that he could rise above them in his own way. The only acceptable response was to compartmentalize and section off his feelings, stack them neatly in the corner of his mind and not touch them.

He didn't have time for romance or the distractions that accompanied it.

-x-x-x-

Come Sunday afternoon, Bakura picked Kaiba up from his apartment and drove him down to the stadium across the bay. The team leader spent the ride giving a run-down of Kaiba's accommodations and other last-minute minutiae.

Crossing the bay, the PPSE stadium rose like a chrome behemoth on the horizon. Decades ago, this part of the Shizimu Ward used to house aluminum production facilities before manufacturing moved overseas. PPSE had seized on the opportunity, bought up the land, and built their mini-city dedicated to Gunpla glory. He remembered how his father had mocked the endeavor, but it was now a testament to PPSE's corporate might.

Anything was better than that monstrosity that Gozaburo built out on Alcatraz, he thought darkly to himself.

Bakura droned on in the background, "There's a reception party tonight for all the fighters. Unfortunately, you won't be able to attend it because your debut isn't until tomorrow. Jounouchi-kun will be going as the PPSE representative, so you can talk to him if you have any specific questions."

He tore his gaze from a flock of school children gaping at the stadium. His heart had skipped a beat at the builder's name. "Jounouchi's already there?"

Bakura took a gentle right turn that brought them into the heart of the players' village. "He checked into both of your rooms earlier today and is familiarizing himself with the area. He's going to be your on-site backup in this tournament. While it's best for you to fight your debut battle alone, feel free to have him support you from the navigator's pit at any other point. He'll also handle any repairs that might come up. I know he spent the last week building spare parts in case. As per tournament rules, the rest of the team won't be able to touch your Gunpla."

Kaiba nodded. It was exactly what he'd anticipated. The PPSE Works Team already held an enormous advantage over the other contestants. If they were given any more leeway, it would be seen as outright cheating or favoritism on part of the organizers.

They pulled up in front of one of the fighters' hotel. Jounouchi waited curbside in full work attire. Their eyes meet through the car windows, and Kaiba steeled himself.

"Good afternoon, you two," Jounouchi greeted as Kaiba and Bakura stepped out of the car.

Kaiba studied his face, which remained open in its usual friendly manner. Jounouchi appeared perky and well-rested, exhibiting no signs of having spent the weekend agonizing over anything out of the ordinary.

Jounouchi cocked his head and asked, "Is everything alright, Kawaguchi?"

If Jounouchi wasn't going to bring up the party, then Kaiba saw no need to do it first. If he was lucky, Jounouchi indeed had been drunker than he claimed and remembered little about Friday night. A part of Kaiba admittedly felt disappointed, but he crammed it into a box and stowed it away in the back of his mind. With distance in space and time, Kaiba even began to wonder if what he thought he saw in Jounouchi existed in the first place. Instead, he focused on the tie around Jounouchi's neck, the neatly pressed uniform jacket, and his wild hair somehow tamed into submission. He leaned back against the car and smirked, "For once, you look presentable. It must be a special occasion."

Jounouchi tugged consciously at the crooked tie knot, face scrunching in resignation. "Yeah, gotta look good representing the company and all."

It was different, but still good, Kaiba admitted to himself. To distract himself from the thought, he reached into the backseat for his bag. Admiring Jounouchi's appearance was the last thing he should be doing after deciding to leave his ill-advised attraction behind.

Bakura wished them both luck before climbing back into his car and driving off. Jounouchi led the way into the hotel, where the lobby swarmed with fighters either socializing or checking in. Two teenagers, one redhead and the other with blue hair, were squabbling with each other at the front desk and they held most of the lobby's attention. Several people glanced over at Kaiba and Jounouchi, but their focus soon moved on after taking in their stark white uniforms.

But as they approached the elevator, someone called, "Jounouchi!"

Jounouchi nearly tripped, before whipping around with a mixture of hope and surprise reigning over his facial features. The speaker was a tall, blond woman with an impressive bust. Kaiba instantly recognized her from the competitors' database.

"Mai?" he exclaimed.

The two flung themselves at each other, coming together like a roaring storm of glee and clingy limbs. At some point in their attempts to out-hug one another, Jounouchi grabbed the woman by the waist, swept her off her feet, and spun her. Her shocked expression spurred Jounouchi to laugh harder and spin her faster.

"Put me down, you oaf!" she shrieked and beat at his shoulders. "When did you get so freakishly strong?"

"Shaddup, I was always strong," he complained as he lowered her back to the ground.

She tweaked his nose and smirked. "No, you used to be cute."

If Jounouchi dared blush, Kaiba was going to hurl his bag straight at his face. Thankfully, Jounouchi remained amused more than anything else. "I haven't heard from you in months. I thought you were overseas. What are you doing here, and why didn't you tell me you were in town?"

Even as he spoke, Jounouchi maintained one hand on her forearm. Kaiba bit down on the urge to comment or slap the hand away. He tried to tell himself that this was Jounouchi— always excited and grabby— being himself. Still, didn't Jounouchi have any shame? They were in public for God's sake. Kaiba should have taken the chance to slip away and leave them to their "two-person world." But Jounouchi hadn't told him where he'd be staying and he had the room key, which left Kaiba in the very awkward position as a forced witness to their intimacy.

"I'm here as one of the fighters competing. I told Shizuka-chan about it, but made her promise to keep it a secret. I wanted to surprise you, Jounouchi."

"That's amazing news!"

"And you're here for work?" Her fingers glided coyly across Jounouchi's tie— although Kaiba wagered she didn't have a shy bone in her body. "I do have a weakness for men in uniform."

Kaiba's patience snapped so forcibly that he was surprised the sound couldn't be heard outside of his body. He cleared his throat, startling them with the reminder of his presence. This time, Jounouchi flushed, going pink in his cheeks. The woman, on the other hand, visibly perked up with curiosity as she swept her eyes over Kaiba from head to toe. Kaiba returned her examination with a full scowl.

"Your coworker?" she asked Jounouchi.

"Uh yeah, he's..." Jounouchi must be struggling with how to introduce Kaiba without giving his title away.

He folded his arms across his chest and drew himself taller as he spoke, "Yes, and we're here on PPSE business. You're Kujaku Mai, winner of Japan's second block. Your Gunpla's base is the Jagd Doga. You're also known as the 'Harpy Queen' in fighter circles."

Kujaku had above average stats among the fighters in this year's competition, but she hardly registered as a worthy opponent on Kaiba's radar. He doubted they would reach a point in the tournament where they'd face each other directly. She probably wouldn't even make it past the qualifiers. She would be gone soon enough.

She ribbed Jounouchi. "See, Jounouchi? You should be more informed like your friend there. You need to know all about your competition."

"No, that's because he's a data-crunching freak of nature," Jounouchi protested.

Kaiba wasn't going to dignify the dig with an response. He punched the up button for the elevator instead.

Kujaku seemed to finally get the message as she peeled herself off Jounouchi. "Okay, I won't keep you boys from your work then. We'll catch up later, Jounouchi, and you can spill some of those juicy PPSE secrets."

"Hell no. I want to keep my job, Mai."

Good, because Kaiba would eviscerate him if he tried. The elevator chimed as it reached the ground floor. As soon as the doors opened, Kaiba stepped inside, planted one hand against the door, and stared balefully at Jounouchi. The glare sent him scrambling into the elevator and to his rightful place at Kaiba's side.

"Later, Jounouchi," Kujaku blew a kiss through the gap between the closing doors.

"What floor?" Kaiba demanded a moment later.

"Oh right," Jounouchi reached forward and pressed the button for the sixth floor.

Reining in his temper, Kaiba kept his tone as neutral as possible when he said, "Who you socialize with is none of my concern, Jounouchi, but don't forget you're here to work first and foremost."

It was more a reminder to himself than anything else. Kaiba couldn't fly off the handle like a jealous lover every time someone approached Jounouchi. Not to mention, Jounouchi was not going to appreciate anyone, least of all Kaiba, telling him who he could or could not associate with. They were colleagues, and their relationship needed to remain professional. His priorities were to win the tournament.

Maybe he had overestimated his ability to cope with his predicament. Some margin of error would have to be accounted for. He had never really cared about another person in this way. Like Jounouchi himself, this was going to be an experience that would take getting used to.

Jounouchi smiled apologetically. "Yeah, sorry to leave you hanging there. It's just we haven't seen each other in like two years. You'll probably be the same way when you see Mokuba again."

Kaiba peeked at him out of the corner of his eyes. The comparison to his little brother did not escape him. He leaned back against the elevator wall and let his arms fall to his sides. "Perhaps you're right, but I won't hesitate to wipe the floor with your friend if it comes down to a battle."

Jounouchi laughed. "Yeah, I know. I wouldn't dream of convincing you not to."

-x-x-x-

On the morning of the first competition day, he and Jounouchi holed up in one of the stadium's many green rooms and watched the opening ceremony from the TV. Kaiba snorted when they announced the first period of qualifiers. Four-player knockout matches had opened the qualifiers for the last three years, couldn't they come up with anything new?

He sat back and watched as the usual suspects scored the first points of the qualifiers. Rainer Cziommer of Germany won match one off the bat, followed by Thailand's Luang Dallara in the third match and a queasy-looking Ricardo Fellini in the sixth. He rolled his eyes when Kujaku Mai managed to secure four points from winning match number seven, even as Jounouchi cheered in the background. The eighth match ended in overwhelming victory for Aila Jyrkiäinen, who wiped out all three of her opponents in less than a minute.

"Wow," Jounouchi muttered under his breath. "What the hell happened there?"

Kaiba narrowed his eyes as he watched the replay. Her Qubeley must be equipped with some sort of funnels, bits, or fangs. It was the only possible explanation— even if that suggested the components were moving too fast to be seen by the naked eye. But all signs currently pointed to her being his biggest roadblock on the path to victory.

In the fifteenth match, Jounouchi oohed and awed over the Gunpla piloted by a pair of teenagers from Japan's third block. The modified S trike Gundam, which ultimately won, had some interesting gimmicks, but Kaiba doubted it had the raw power needed to advance much further. Not to mention, the fighter and builder had been that close to being disqualified for tardiness.

Kaiba's own match was the very last one scheduled for this period. He smirked to himself and collected the metal suitcase containing his Gunpla. PPSE really knew how to build suspense.

Jounouchi stopped him at the door. "Hey, Kaiba, I got one last thing for you."

It was a pair of sunglasses, similar to the one the last Meijin wore.

He groaned. Kaiba was willing to put up with a lot for theatrics' sake, but the sunglasses were over-the-top ridiculous. "I don't need it."

"C'mon, it's part of the costume," Jounouchi gestured to the dark trench coat and the cravat. "You gotta wear it. It's a Meijin tradition."

"I don't 'gotta' do anything."

"Ugh, come here, you big baby."

Jounouchi struck with the speed of a Stargazer, hooking a finger around the cravat and tugging him forward. The sudden force sent Kaiba stumbling, his eyes widening in shock as he regained his balance before running into Jounouchi. He wanted to shout or sputter in rage, but the endearingly fierce expression on Jounouchi's face caused his mouth to run dry. With his free hand, Jounouchi slipped the sunglasses over Kaiba's eyes. His fingertips grazed against Kaiba's earlobes, brushing back hair before they settled the frame into place. Kaiba suppressed a full-body shudder but leaned ever so slightly into the touch. The tinted glass did nothing to dim the glimmer in Jounouchi's eyes.

He didn't have time for distractions, Kaiba reminded himself. But the words rang false.

Jounouchi withdrew his hands and stepped back to admire his handiwork. He glowed with pride and confidence. "That's better. Go knock 'em dead, Meijin Kawaguchi."

Any remaining ambivalence vanished like smoke. Kaiba was invincible. He would win, and both he and Jounouchi knew that. His feet moved automatically, taking him out of the green room and down a long stretch of corridor. The announcer's voice boomed over the sound system, "After an unfortunate tragedy earlier in the year, the PPSE Works Team returns again as the organizer's special entry. Their fighter is the next 'God of Gunpla,' Meijin Kawaguchi the Fourth."

Every eye in the arena was glued to Kaiba, and he didn't shy away from the attention. This was how it was meant to be. Only a portion politely applauded his entrance, but he would have them all cheering by the end of the match. Mokuba was also somewhere in that crowd, and Kaiba was not going to disappoint his little brother. The other fighters gathered around the battle system regarded him with suspicion and caution, but he had already written them off as easy pickings.

"Beginning Plavsky particle dispersal. Field 13: Tundra. Please set your GP Base. Please set your Gunpla."

The chrome white and blue Gunpla now set on the launch pad was the culmination of months of hard work— its heart and soul molded by him, Jounouchi, and the rest of the PPSE Works Team.

Kaiba grasped the control orbs— frissons of excitement racing up his arms. "Meijin Kawaguchi, Imperial Legilis, prepare yourselves!"